Icy Roads Close Georgia CUs

A check of some of Atlanta’s credit unions revealed that many will be closed Wednesday due to the winter storm that has caused thick sheets of ice to blanket most of the city’s major roadways.

The $1.3 billion Associated Credit Union in Norcross, Ga., said all of its branches will be closed Wednesday, according to its website.

The $950 million Georgia United Credit Union in Duluth, Ga., posted a notice on its website saying it will be closed Wednesday with plans to reopen on Thursday.

As safety allows, staff will report at the Georgia Credit Union Affiliates in Duluth, Ga., Wednesday.

“Due to inclement weather and hazardous road conditions, GCUA will be delayed opening today. Staff will report as safety allows but we will likely be running a skeleton crew. Key areas are being covered by remote access” the GCUA said on its website.

Following the lead of most of the school systems in the metropolitan Atlanta area and surrounding communities, the $1.7 billion Georgia’s Own Credit Union in Atlanta, said all of its branches will be closed Wednesday as a safety precaution for its employees and members. However, the credit union said its online services will be available during this time.

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal has issued a state of emergency for the entire state after a winter storm slammed into many areas Tuesday bringing with it at least two inches of snow, which quickly turned into ice as the temperature dropped down into the 20s and teens.

Gridlock was created on most of Atlanta’s major highways Tuesday when employers and school districts began early dismissals. According to many local media reports, as of this morning, some drivers have been stranded on those roads for up to 18 hours.

Some of those stranded including children on school buses who were forced to spend the night on those buses. In other parts of the city, students had to spend the night at their schools because roads were too dangerous for buses to drive on.

During a press conference held Wednesday morning, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said the Department of Transportation will be moving more of its trucks out today to salt the roads. Reed also provided an update on the storm’s aftermath saying there were more than 700 accidents reported but no fatalities.